I know that these days the preferred method for businesses to issue rebates is through reward cards. This way they can not only count on a number of people not worrying about a rebate, but also a number of people never using the value on the cards. My frustration is with two I got from Adorama for purchases at the end of 2015 on the LowePro camera bag deal.
I purchased 2 bags and sent in for the rebates on two different dates. Got both cards easy enough. Card #2 had an expiration date of May 2016 so I made sure I used that one immediately.
The first card has an expiration date sometime years into the future but it begins to charge a service fee of $2 per month starting 5 months after issue. Well on a $10 card you can see where this is going to head.
Now for the frustration... I go to use card #1 on a $10 purchase. I swipe the card and guess what, won't work. Swipe again, no deal. try a third time and the transaction will still not go through. So I call Amex and they say there is still $10 on the card but that they aren't showing it as having been tried anywhere for use. I ask if there is a way I can just get a check for the $10 as the card isn't working correctly it seems. Nope, that's against the terms of the card. So I get told to just keep trying it for purchases.
Anyone else have problems like this using reward cards?
